Line #255 VideoGame/Strider


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/strider2_hiryu_art.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:Special A Rank Assassin.]]
3
4	->''"He slashes, springs, slides and climbs! Every single action he takes is superhuman! Here comes the super-A ranked strider called 'Hiryu'!!"''
5	-->-- Game description from the [=X68000=] version of the Arcade Game.
6
7	''Strider'' is a [[RuleOfCool stylish]] 1989 action / platforming game by Creator/{{Capcom}} about a {{ninja}} with an [[CoolSword incredibly badass sword]]. The game features our hero Hiryu as he takes on the Grandmaster, [[GalacticConqueror an entity from another galaxy that has decided to conquer the Earth.]] The arcade game was ported to many systems, including the Platform/SegaGenesis, where it was one of the system's first {{Killer App}}s, and the first game to be released on an 8-megabit cartridge.
8
9	The arcade version of ''Strider'' was actually the product of a three-way collaboration between Capcom and manga studio Motomiya Kikaku, which also resulted in a separate NES game and a single-volume manga version. The manga and NES version follows Hiryu, as he is forced out of retirement to track down and eliminate Kain, a fellow Strider and friend who has been compromised by his capture. Hiryu must travel around the world, from enemy bases to a moving train and from New York to China. During his mission, he uncovers a conspiracy that involves the Strider organization. The NES version understandably has a much deeper story than the more-famous arcade version, but suffered from many programming and control errors. Notably, the NES version was never released for the Family Computer in Japan, in a bizarre reversal of NoExportForYou.
10
11	The game naturally inspired a number of [[FollowTheLeader imitators and similar games]], such as ''VideoGame/RunSaber'' and ''Shadow of the Ninja''. Two of these, ''[[VideoGame/CannonDancer Osman]]'' and ''VideoGame/MoonDiver'', were created by the same designer of the original and are considered its {{Spiritual Successor}}s. In 1990, the British company U.S. Gold produced an officially-licensed sequel titled ''[[VideoGame/StriderReturns Strider II]]'', which was originally released for various home computer platforms in Europe (specifically the Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum). The game was remade in 1992 for the [[Platform/SegaGenesis Mega Drive]] with redesigned stages and play mechanics much closer to the original arcade game. This was that version that was released in North America under the title of ''Strider Returns: Journey From Darkness''. An 8-bit Platform/SegaMasterSystem version of ''Strider II'' was also released, with a corresponding American release for the Platform/GameGear under the ''Strider Returns'' title.
12
13	The series remained silent until 1998, where Hiryu was included as a playable character in ''[[VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcomClashOfTheSuperheroes Marvel vs. Capcom]]'' and its sequel ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom2''. Hiryu's speed, easily-chained combos, zone control, and full-screen LimitBreak made him a favorite of {{Scrub}}s and StopHavingFunGuys alike. Thanks to this newfound popularity Capcom [[Music/{{Prince}} partied]] with ''Strider 2'', released first in arcades in 1999 and later ported to the Platform/PlayStation a year later, where Hiryu once again faces the Grandmaster as well as a new foe, the renegade Strider Hien. Since then, Hiryu and his enemies have appeared in ''VideoGame/NamcoXCapcom''; notably, the Grandmaster gets the honor of being the last BigBad to be confronted before the biggest bad herself. While not present in ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3'' due to copyright issues, Hiryu did join the line-up of its UpdatedRerelease, ''Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3''.
14
15	The series received a new sequel in the form of a open-world {{Metroidvania}}-style game in 2014 by Creator/DoubleHelixGames, overseen by the original developers at Capcom's Osaka Studio. Following the 2014 revival, Hiryu and some of his enemies would then go on to appear in the crossovers ''[[VideoGame/ProjectXZone Project X Zone 2: Brave New World]]'' and ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcomInfinite'', and his uniform was included as DLC in ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter Generations'' and its UpdatedRerelease ''Generations Ultimate''.
16
17	In 2017, ''VideoGame/StreetFighterV'' reintroduced Zeku (Guy's master from ''VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha 2'') as the last Season 2 character, and he returned not only with a design and moveset that leans ''heavily'' on Hiryu's, but his backstory strongly implies he's got a hand in the creation of the Striders organization, establishing ''Strider'' as being part of ''Street Fighter'''s ever-growing SharedUniverse.
18
19	Not to be confused with the Creator/BeverlyCleary book with the same name, the alias of Aragorn from ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'', or [[Webcomic/{{Homestuck}} Dave]].
20
21	! Media in the Franchise:
22	[[index]]
23	* [[VideoGame/StriderArcade Arcade Games]][[note]]Covers the arcade games[[/note]]
24	* [[Manga/{{Strider}} Strider Manga]][[note]]Covers the manga and the NES game.[[/note]]
25	* VideoGame/Strider2014
26	* VideoGame/StriderReturns
27	[[/index]]
28	------------
29	!! The game series contains examples of:
30
31	* AudibleSharpness: [[SugarWiki/MostWonderfulSound SWHING!!]] It returns in the HD game, only at a far quieter volume.
32	* BayonetYa: Russians in this series love their bladed guns, even in the new game.
33	* BootstrappedTheme: Combined with Level1MusicRepresents, the theme to the first level of the arcade version, "Raid" has become the de-facto theme of Strider Hiryu in every cameo appearance he makes. Its opening notes are especially iconic to the character.
34	* BreakablePowerUp: A PowerUp gives you a robot to fight alongside you. You lose it from being damaged, with the special wrinkle that it is "linked" to your life total at the moment you acquire it. So it is possible to [[LoopholeAbuse deliberately get damaged to almost dead, pick up the droid, then find healing power ups to provide a buffer against losing it]].
35	* BroughtToYouByTheLetterS: The kanji on Hiryu's outfit is the head character on his name (飛 or ''Hi'').
36	** Strider Kain has a "C" (implying that his name is meant to be "[[SpellMyNameWithAnS Cain]]") and Matic has an "M."
37	** The 2014 game has not only Hiryu but all Fallen Striders wear a metal plaque with one of the kanjis making up their names as part of their uniform.
38	* CanonDiscontinuity: None of the sequels follow the story from ''Strider Returns'', and the producer of the 2014 installment downright called it an "illegitimate sequel". Considering the original development team wasn't involved, it makes sense.
39	* ChildProdigy: The youngest Strider to attain the greatest rank in the organization.
40	* ConsummateProfessional: Describes Hiryu's personality very well.
41	* CoolSword: The cypher, specially in the manga and ''Strider 2''.
42	** AbsurdlySharpBlade: Can cut through boulders, ''people'' and '''''tanks''''' like butter.
43	** EnergyWeapons
44	** LaserBlade: The cypher [[HotBlade uses plasma]] to cut through hard targets like tanks.
45	** NamedWeapons: Hiryu's personal cypher is named "Falchion."[[note]]This only applies to the Sega Genesis' English manual, not even the 2014 game uses this name.[[/note]]
46	** SwordBeam: A plasma-based projectile technique is a common feature of the Cypher in several games.
47	* DistantSequel: ''Strider 2'' is set 2000 years after ''Strider'', in a world where Meio's plans were eventually successful.
48	* FreezeFrameIntroduction: Bosses get frozen in the middle of their animation and then their names and BossSubtitles are shown.
49	* GravityIsPurple: The Gravitron boss is a machine that emanates a violet gravity field around itself.
50	* FailedFutureForecast: The Soviet Union still exists in the 2040's and the country of Kazakhstan is referred by its former name of Kazakh SSR in both arcade and NES games, as well as the manga.
51	* HalfTheManHeUsedToBe: Hiryu's enemies tend to fly away in two pieces whenever they are hit by the cypher.
52	** In the manga, Hiryu cuts one bastard soldier in half vertically.
53	* HeroesRUs: The Striders are a PrivateMilitaryContractor with a ninja theme, but since the BigBad refuses to hire them they default to HeroesRUs instead.
54	* HeroicMime: In the arcade original, Hiryu says only two phrases: "Take me to your boss!", and calling the aerial battleship a toy. Unless you're playing the Japanese version, then he'll NEVER shut up... "PAAH! PAHPAHPAHPAHPAHPAH!"
55	** Hiryu is more or less TheQuietOne elsewhere, ''VideoGame/NamcoXCapcom'' and ''[=UMvC3=]'' being perhaps the best exceptions.
56	** In the manga he's much more expressive, emotional and gets along just fine with his friends, although when fighting he's as cold and to the point as he's been known in later characterization.
57	** He's quite a bit more talkative in the 2014 game, though only when directly speaking to someone. He also has at least two "..." lines. And even when he talks, he's very terse and business-like.
58	* JobTitle: [[MarketBasedTitle English title]].
59	** CharacterTitle: Japanese title. Could also be taken as a RoleCalled.
60	* LeaderFormsTheHead: Mikiel, leader of the Kazakh Federation's government and Grandmaster Meio's NumberTwo, also forms the literal head of Ouroboros, the boss of the first stage.
61	* LegacyCharacter:
62	** For the longest time a discussion among fans about the connection between the original no-scarf Hiryu and the one in ''Strider 2'', the ''Visual Chronicle'' artbook establishes the 2nd Hiryu carries the same codename of the original, implying he's a successor.
63	** Although yet to be brought up in games, Zeku's written setting establishes that he's the "1st Generation Strider Hiryu" and the original, scarf-less Hiryu will be his successor and the 2nd generation, more or less upholding what was already implied in the ''Visual Chronicle''. This would basically make Zeku Capcom's very own [[VideoGame/{{Tekken}} Yoshi]][[VideoGame/SoulSeries mitsu]].
64	* LevelsTakeFlight: Any stages set in or around the flying Airship Balrog.
65	* {{Ninja}}: The Striders aren't ninja ''per se'', but they're pretty damn close. They do claim to be modern descendants of them, however.
66	** HighlyVisibleNinja: Well, ''look at him''. The blue, close-fitting outfit was a step in the right direction, the red scarf and ''glowing sword'' were not. The action is great, but doesn't involve a lot of stealth.
67	** RankInflation: The Striders go from C to A, and then Special (or Super) A.
68	* NinjaRun: Hiryu's dashing animation in the NES game, ''Strider 2'' and all crossover appearances.
69	* NintendoHard: Both the NES and the original arcade games are really hard due to Hiryu's [[HitboxDissonance funky hitboxes]]. The arcade has a extra whammy of not [[JumpPhysics being able to control Hiryu mid-jump]]. The final stage in the original arcade game is almost impossible to complete without memorization.
70	* OneManArmy: The Striders are billed as being as such. The lowest ranked guys in the group can fight on par with ''entire special force units''.
71	* PaletteSwap: Hinjo from ''Strider Returns'' is a white and ''neon green'' swap of Hiryu's Genesis sprite. Hien is a black and white head swap of Hiryu.
72	** The Kuniang are ColorCodedForYourConvenience identical sprites in the first game (Ton Pooh = green, Sai Pooh = [[TrueBlueFemininity blue]], Bei Pooh = red). Averted in the second game and beyond, where they have personalized hairstyles in addition to the color-coding (with Bei / Pei's coloring additionally becoming [[PinkMeansFeminine a lighter shade]] in the 2014 game).
73	* RecycledTitle: There are 3 games (out of 5 total) named "Strider": The arcade game, the NES game, and the HD digital game.
74	** In Japan, the manga is named the same as the arcade game.
75	* ReformulatedGame:
76	** The arcade and Famicom versions were developed in tandem. Strangely, the Famicom version was canceled despite the fact that it was heavily promoted by Moto Kikaku's tie-in manga, although it eventually saw a U.S. exclusive release on the NES.
77	** ''Strider II'', the U.S. Gold-produced sequel, was remade completely when it was released for the Mega Drive and Master System.
78	* TheRival: Solo, a cyborg bounty hunter that Hiryu faces at least once per game, often multiple times.
79	* SameSexTriplets: The Kuniang sisters. They become [[AmazonBrigade an all-female]] SiblingTeam starting in ''Strider 2'' (Ton Pooh, the leader, is the middle sister, Bei is the oldest, and Sai / Nang is the youngest).
80	* ScarfOfAsskicking: Conspicuously absent in the original arcade game.
81	* ShutUpHannibal: Hiryu's responses to villains' threats.
82	* SleevesAreForWimps: Hiryu displays his well-toned arms proudly.
83	* SlideAttack
84	* SpellMyNameWithAnS:
85	** The name of the flying airship in Stage 3 of the arcade, "Ballog", is an obvious mistranslation of "Balrog" (this was corrected in ''Strider 2''). A concept art also spells it "Val Rogue".
86	** Strider Kain has an uppercase "C" on his ninja outfit (matching the "飛" (''Hi'') in Hiryu's and the "M" on Matic's), which seems to suggest that his name is supposed to be "Cain", not "Kain."
87	** Ouroboros is spelt "Urobolos" in the Genesis in-game sound test and manual.
88	** In the NES game, there's "Yugdesiral", which should actually be [[Myth/NorseMythology Yggdrasil]].
89	** The Kuniang sisters are specially prone to this, thanks to their Chinese names being filtered through Japanese transliterations and then romanized, resulting in Ton Pooh / Tong Poo, Bei / Pei Pooh and Nam / Nang Pooh.
90	* SpiritualSuccessor: ''[[VideoGame/CannonDancer Osman]]'' was directed by Isuke, the same director who worked on the arcade version of ''Strider''. Isuke also worked on ''VideoGame/MoonDiver'', essentially a remake for [=PS3=] and Xbox 360.
91	* SuperSoldier: The Striders are super mercenaries, and Hiryu's the top elite among them.
92	* SuperSpeed: A constant in all his appearances: he's fast. ''Really'' fast.
93	* ThemeNaming: In ''Marvel vs. Capcom'', Hiryu's moveset is heavily influenced by legendary swords and items ([[Myth/JapaneseMythology Ame no Murakumo]], [[Myth/ArthurianLegend Excalibur]], [[Myth/NorseMythology Gram]], [[Myth/HinduMythology Vajra]]) and mythology in general ([[{{Gotterdammerung}} Ragnarok]], {{Ouroboros}}, [[Literature/TheBible Legion]]).
94	** The Ton Pooh sisters are named for three of the four winds: Ton, Sai, and Bei are respectively the eastern, western, and northern winds. (Ton Pooh also doubles as a musical ShoutOut to the first track of the second side of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_Magic_Orchestra_(album) a self-titled album by the Yellow Magic Orchestra.]]) In the 2014 game, Sai is replaced by a different sister named Nang Pooh (the southern wind), as in this continuity, the trio was trained by a master martial artist named [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Mother_of_the_West Xi Wang Mu.]]
95	* WallCrawl[=/=]CeilingCling: One of the iconic elements of the series. In the main series and crossovers, Hiryu uses his Climb Sickle to climb to any surface and ceiling. In the NES game, he can move up specific glowing walls/ceilings with magnetic boots.

Context VideoGame / Strider